Even though spring just arrived, summer will be here before you know it! The days of late nights on the patio, bon fires & smores, trips to the pool & beach AND an easy situation for a cluttered home because we’re enjoying the nice weather outside. To avoid the headache and stress of coming home to a messy house after a day of fun in the sun, follow these Top 5 Tips for a more organized (stress-free) summer.

Have a bag ready to go at all times. Few suggestions: Towels, sunscreen, sunglasses, deodorant, hair ties, water bottles, waterproof bags (or just ziplocks -- for the wet suits & for all the things like wallet/money, phone, etc.), portable speaker, mini first-aid kit, wet wipes, and a change of dry clothes! For a full checklist, click here.

Get the outdoor furniture and toys cleaned and ready to go now. Blow up any inflatable pools & check for holes and test out any toys that require batteries. Make sure you have back ups on hand! By doing that now, you’re able to get outside right when the nice weather hits & there’s no waiting!

Have a system for when you walk in the door. Make sure everyone in your family knows that right when you walk in the door shoes off, dirty towels/clothes go in a basket waiting by the door (or waiting in the car!), and any other specific things tailored to your family. Especially when coming in from the pool or beach, having all the dirty laundry in one spot right away will cut down time later so you don’t have to be running around the house collecting things. You also eliminate the risk of someone forgetting to put their suit in the wash and it being dirty the next time everyone else is ready to go to the pool/beach.

Make a “Summer To-Do” list. Include your kiddos and make a list of all the things you want to do this summer. It could be as small as chalk on the sidewalk, to a day at the zoo, all the way to a trip to Disneyland! This will give them (and you) something to look forward to, as well as ideas for rainy days. Remember, this is a fun “To-Do” list, so plan but be flexible.

Develop some sort of routine. With kids home from school I feel this is the most important to keeping everyone happy. The “Summer To-Do List” helps with this. When we know what’s expected of us, it’s a lot easier to perform better. So by having clear expectations of what the day will entail (maybe the topic discussed over breakfast?!), hopefully the kiddo meltdowns will be few and far between. You know your family best and how it operates so make a routine that allows you and your family to have the best summer possible. (Again, plan but it’s okay to be flexible sometimes too!)

Hopefully these 5 tips will help you to enjoy your summer just a little bit more!! I’d love to hear your summer plans or how you keep organized with all the summer activities! Comment below :)

Leave a Reply.

Author

Emily has a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University. There she learned how valuable organization can be in being productive. She chose to use this knowledge and help others achieve this productivity and optimization in their homes and small businesses. Read & Enjoy and as always, let us know if you have any questions!